Munkhâshi Empire

Posted by Håvard Tegle
on 14:47 9/30/01

In reply to: (none)

You don't tell much about the internal affairs of the Munkh‚sh empire in the atlas. How did the rulers control the vast empire? Was there never a non-ktuvoki coup of some sort. I find it somewhat strange that no group among the subjects of ktuvoki ever got enough power to maneuvre the ktuvoki from power. Perhaps the ktuvoki managed to create a picture of them as a divine race, that their subjects worshiped them as gods. That would make it harder for mighty non-ktuvoki groups to replace them as ironically the great masses would support the established regime.

Håvard

Mark responds:

The very first humans dominated by the ktuvoki were neolithic, so the ktuvoki could offer them a much higher standard ofliving. Since then, the basic policy of the ktuvoki is to use human groups against each
other. Each group oppresses the next group to be incorporated into the empire. So long as the empire is expanding, this gives even the groups on the bottom hope, since they'll get to stomp on the next arrivals.

As well, as you surmise, the ktuvoki are part of the religion imposed on their subjects; they're actually worshipped as well as obeyed.

It's worth noting that the ktuvoki are not, objectively speaking, sadists.
They do enjoy human subserviance, but they don't starve or humiliate their
subjects-- they are well able to motivate them with rewards and riches. It's only when that doesn't work that they resort to force or terror.

Finally, note that the ktuvoki are always scheming against each other, and thus always on the lookout for plots. It's not easy to out-scheme them!